Russian Foreign Ministry accuses PACE of trying to isolate Russia

Feb 02 2015

Interfax

Interfax

The decision made by PACE, which has deprived the Russian delegation of the right to vote, is part of the policies aimed at continuing the isolation of Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry human rights ombudsman Konstantin Dolgov said at a Monday meeting off the Federation Council's international affairs committee on the situation in PACE and further actions taken by Russia in the interaction with PACE.

The decision made by PACE, which has deprived the Russian delegation of the right to vote, is part of the policies aimed at continuing the isolation of Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry human rights ombudsman Konstantin Dolgov said at a Monday meeting off the Federation Council's international affairs committee on the situation in PACE and further actions taken by Russia in the interaction with PACE.

"The decision made by PACE is politically motivated and is nothing else than part of the policies aimed at isolating Russia, at taking illegal steps on our country, which are absolutely destined to fail," Dolgov said.

Dolgov said all this violates the fundamental principle of supremacy of law because the sanctions were adopted and are being put in place in violation of the principles and norms of international law.

"It is important to bear this in mind when deciding our policies on PACE and the Council of Europe and our interaction between the Foreign Ministry and other executive administration bodies, including the State Duma and the Federation Council, is very important here," Dolgov said.

Dolgov also said the Russian Foreign Ministry does not leave any of the many anti-Russian public statements that are made by many European politicians and officials without an appropriate reaction.

"Nevertheless, we do no leave without an appropriate reaction the practical actions that they are trying to use in this spirit in Europe and in the U.S. and in some other capitals under their influence. Our position on that is absolutely definite," he said.

On January 28, PACE refused to reinstate the powers of the Russian delegation to vote and participate in the PACE administrative bodies, which were taken away from the Russian delegation in April 2014. PACE extended the sanctions until April 2015, accusing Russia of aggravating the situation in eastern Ukraine.